Armed Forces: Airfield Support to QRA

Lord Drayson: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 18 July 2002 (Official Report, cols. 460-64), my right honourable friend the then Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Hoon) announced the publication of a new chapter to the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) that was designed to ensure that our defence policies, capabilities and force structures matched the challenges that the new terrorist threats posed.
	Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) comprises: armed Tornado F3 and Typhoon aircraft held at ground readiness for immediate take-off, the air surveillance and control system to provide warning and command and control of the fighter aircraft, and tanker aircraft also held at high ground readiness. QRA fulfils two concurrent functions. First, it meets the United Kingdom's responsibility within NATO to provide air policing of agreed member airspace. Secondly, under UK national control, QRA provides an airborne contribution to countering threats against the UK by terrorist organisations or individuals. The SDR new chapter confirmed that airfields across the UK—RAF Marham, RAF St Mawgan and RNAS Yeovilton—would be able to support QRA aircraft when needed, in addition to the bases from which the QRA aircraft usually operate.
	Following the decision to dispose of the airfield at RAF St Mawgan, we have reviewed the short-term tertiary airfields that support Quick Reaction Alert aircraft and decided that MoD Boscombe Down and RNAS Culdrose will now be enabled by spring 2008 to cover any potential threats to the south and south-western airspaces. In the interim, RAF St Mawgan will continue to be utilised as necessary to support short-term QRA aircraft. RAF Marham will continue to be maintained as a tertiary QRA airfield. This support is in addition to the bases that are already able to operate such aircraft and will give us enhanced flexibility in our air defence arrangements.

Aviation: ATOL Bonding

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	Between April and June 2007 the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consulted on options for the reform of air travel organisers licence (ATOL) bonding by package holiday companies. The aim was to reduce burdens on ATOL holders and to replenish the Air Travel Trust fund (ATTF) following the Civil Aviation Act 2006, allowing the Government's loan guarantee to be phased out. As a result of the consultation, the Government announced in August an "in principle" decision to introduce a pooled scheme, based on a £1 per passenger ATOL protection contribution (APC) paid by the tour operator, to replace the current ATOL bonding arrangements from 1 April 2008. Confirmation of the decision was subject to the CAA's satisfactory progress on aspects of the scheme.
	The Government are now content to confirm the decision. The Civil Aviation (Contributions to the Air Travel Trust Fund) Regulations 2007 have today been laid before Parliament, which will allow the CAA to implement the APC from 1 April 2008.
	There is no change in the comprehensive financial protection available to passengers. Those buying a package holiday will be entitled to a full refund if their travel organiser becomes insolvent before they travel, and assistance with returning home if they are already abroad.

Crime: Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Maria Eagle) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The sixth annual Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) reports are published today. MAPPA bring together the police, probation and prison services in each of the 42 areas in England and Wales into what is known as the MAPPA responsible authority. Other agencies are under a duty to co-operate with the responsible authority, including social care, health, housing and education services.
	The child sex offender review, published in June, identified a number of ways in which the administration and co-ordination of the arrangements could be improved. It is essential, if we are to be reassured that offenders are being managed properly, that those running MAPPA locally are able to monitor and report on the arrangements, and that accurate records of cases are kept and action plans followed up.
	The Government have therefore committed £1.2 million to strengthen precisely these aspects of MAPPA. Complementing this commitment will be the development of national standards for MAPPA, establishing improved information-sharing, robust performance-management arrangements and the development of consistent, auditable, MAPPA co-ordination processes. These standards will ensure that agencies are serviced with the best possible information on risk on which to make decisions. They will also provide an important benchmark against which to measure and then drive up performance.
	In addition, we will be providing an extra £1 million for the implementation of the violent and sex offenders register (VISOR) across the probation and prison services. For the first time, the three responsible authorities will be working on the same IT system, enabling the sharing of risk assessments and risk-management information on individual violent and sex offenders in a timely way to reduce reoffending.
	The annual reports describe how the arrangements work locally and include key public protection achievements in each of the 42 police and probation areas of England and Wales. They report on progress against local business plans, outline next year's plans, and provide contact points for further information. They also provide statistical information on the number of offenders eligible for MAPPA and how they are managed.
	Copies of every area report are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office.

EU: General Affairs and External Relations Council

Lord Malloch-Brown: My honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Jim Murphy) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (David Miliband), Kim Darroch (UK permanent representative to the EU) and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg.
	Before the presidency opened the council, it briefed partners on the intergovernmental conference on the draft EU reform treaty, ahead of the European Council on 18 and 19 October. The UK was assured by the presidency that the language in the reform treaty which allows national parliaments to challenge proposed EU legislation on subsidiarity grounds is permissive and contains no obligation, and that the treaty text will be amended to reflect this.
	The Government are content that all the UK red lines have been achieved and are reflected in the new draft treaty text published by the presidency on 5 October, a copy of which has been sent to Parliament.
	The agenda items covered were as follows:
	General Affairs
	Reinforcing the EU's disaster response
	The council discussed the EU's response mechanisms, following the recent natural disasters in Europe. The council invited the Commission to develop proposals on the basis of the lessons learned from the recent emergencies, which the Government support.
	External Relations
	EU-Russia summit preparations
	The council discussed preparations for the EU-Russia summit in Mafra on 26 October. Discussion at the summit is expected to cover climate change, energy and international issues including Kosovo, the Middle East peace process, Iran, Afghanistan and Moldova. The Government support the EU-Russia summit and have been working closely with partners on the preparations.
	Chad, Central African Republic and Sudan
	The council discussed the situation in the wider region, before agreeing a joint action on the proposed EU peacekeeping force in Chad and the Central African Republic (EUFOR Tchad-CAR) under the European security and defence policy, supporting the multidimensional UN Security Council mandated presence by contributing to the protection of refugees and internally displaced people, and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
	The council adopted conclusions supporting ongoing efforts by the UN and African Union to resolve the conflict in Darfur and expressing the EU's commitment to improving the security situation in the wider region through the deployment of EUFOR Tchad-CAR. The conclusions, which the Government fully support, expressed concern about the recent announcement by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement to suspend its participation in the Government of national unity, and urged the continuation of regional dialogue to achieve reconciliation including full implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement.
	Burma
	The council discussed the deteriorating situation in Burma before agreeing a package of EU measures against the regime including a trade and investment ban in the timber, gems and precious metals sectors, which the Government fully support.
	The council adopted conclusions condemning the violent use of force against the demonstrators and calling on the regime to engage with the UN-led reconciliation process while expressing the EU's readiness to review these measures in light of developments, with the threat of further measures if necessary—including a ban on future EU investment, as called for by the Prime Minister.
	Zimbabwe
	The council discussed sending an envoy to Zimbabwe to report back on the economic and humanitarian situation. The presidency and the high representative for the common foreign and security policy, Javier Solana, are taking this forward.
	Western Balkans
	The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) briefed the council on Serbia's co-operation with ICTY.
	The council adopted conclusions, which the Government support, welcoming the signature of the stabilisation and association agreement with Montenegro and expressing the EU's support for High Representative Miroslav Lajcak and efforts to progress key reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly police reform. The council also expressed full support for efforts by the troika (EU, Russia and US) to secure a negotiated settlement on the status of Kosovo.
	Libya
	The council discussed Libya following the release of the medical workers sentenced to death in connection with the infection of children with HIV/AIDS in Benghazi.
	The council adopted conclusions giving the Commission a mandate to open negotiations with Libya on a framework agreement in areas of mutual interest, including illegal migration. The Government support the Commission's work in this area.
	Middle East peace process
	The council adopted conclusions, which the Government support, encouraging the continued dialogue between President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert, reiterating the hope that the meetings will lead to meaningful negotiations on final status. The council conclusions also expressed full support for the Annapolis meeting in November hosted by the US and stressed the importance of the EU providing financial support to the Palestinian Authority as soon as possible, urgently re-engaging and expanding the EU police mission in the West Bank (EUPOL COPPS), and opening the crossings into Gaza.
	The council adopted conclusions on Lebanon condemning the assassination of MP Antoine Ghanem and urging agreement on a presidential candidate through dialogue.
	Iran
	The council discussed ways the EU could contribute to international efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, which include the E3+3-led (UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and US) twin-track diplomatic approach supported by the Government, offering Iran a substantial package of benefits if it co-operates, but incremental UN sanctions if it continues to defy international law.
	The council adopted conclusions which fully reflect the Government's position, reiterating its support for the efforts by the high representative for the common foreign and security policy, Javier Solana, to encourage Iran to return to talks on a long-term solution, and calling for Iran's full and timely implementation of all measures required by or agreed with the International Atomic Energy Agency, while expressing the EU's intention to consider what additional measures it might take to support the UN process and the shared objectives of the international community.
	Iraq
	The council reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Government of Iraq to bring stability, security and prosperity to all its citizens. It discussed ways in which the EU could enhance its engagement with Iraq, including through supporting implementation of the UN's role as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1723, building the capacity of central institutions, and providing humanitarian assistance. The Government welcome this discussion and support deeper EU engagement in Iraq.
	Democratic Republic of Congo
	The council discussed the deteriorating situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
	AOB: Economic partnership agreements
	The Commission briefed the council on developments in the economic partnership agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

Local Government: Community Empowerment

Baroness Andrews: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Hazel Blears) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today Communities and Local Government is publishing an action plan in partnership with the Local Government Association setting out a substantive and exciting community empowerment agenda. I will be launching the plan at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations later this morning.
	The document, An Action Plan for Community Empowerment: Building on Success,outlines proposals to create change at a very local level. The plan draws on existing good practice and brings together a range of actions to broaden and deepen empowerment activity. It forms an important strand of the Government's overall strategy for constitutional renewal, as set out in the Governance of Britain Green Paper. It will also be a building block to develop a cross-government approach to community empowerment. It sets out activities in three key areas: widening and deepening empowerment opportunities locally, supporting and enabling people to take up those opportunities, and strengthening local representative democracy.
	The document has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and can be accessed via the Communities and Local Government website at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communityempowermentactionplan.

Pensions

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Work and Pensions (Mike O'Brien) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 25 July I announced that Chris Lewin and Ed Sweeney, who had been appointed as external reviewers to the deregulatory review in December 2006, had published their report Deregulatory Review of Private Pensions, which made a number of recommendations for change. We are grateful to Chris and Ed for their thorough and thoughtful report. I am today placing copies of our response in the Libraries of the House.
	Although the Government are committed to reducing burdens on employers who provide pension schemes, they recognise the need to strike a balance with the need to protect members' benefits. We therefore agree with the reviewers' recommendation that no changes should be made which would adversely affect current pensioners or past service rights which have already been built up.
	The Government believe that proposals outlined in our response to the recommendations made by the reviewers strike the right balance between encouraging employer provision of pensions and protecting members' benefits. They will reduce costs and will make it easier for scheme rules to be changed to mirror relaxations to specific requirements. Some employers have asked for limited price indexation, but our view is that it would not strike the right balance with the interest of members of schemes and we cannot support it.
	We want to seek further views from stakeholders on these proposals before we introduce any changes, so there will be a short period of consultation on proposals to:
	reduce the cap on the revaluation of deferred pensions so that the maximum increase required in the value of pension rights between a member ceasing to build up any more rights in the scheme and their scheme retirement age would be 2.5 per cent annually. The current cap is 5 per cent; and introduce statutory over-rides to enable scheme rules to be amended to take advantage of the measures in the Pensions Act 2004 which reduced the cap for annual increases to pensions derived from benefits accrued since 2005 from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, and to make amendments to reflect any change to the cap used for the revaluation of deferred pensions.
	The consultation period will end on 15 November.
	We also accept that there is scope for more work on other issues and as part of a rolling programme of deregulation will explore the following areas:
	the circumstances in which an employer leaving a multi-employer scheme must make a payment to the scheme under the employer debt regulations;a move to principles-based legislation, starting with the rules around the disclosure of information to members; and employer concerns about the existing rules on surplus funds in defined benefit schemes.
	We will repeal the complex legislative requirements which apply to "safeguarded rights" which arise following pension-sharing on divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership.
	The Government's response will be available on the department's pensions reform internet site later today.